This is another delicious recipe I have adapted from the wonderful cookbook, Ajanta: Regional Feasts of India. I served it recently with a mouth-watering Kashimiri eggplant dish, badal jaam featured here back in June.

aloo gobhi matar with dried fenugreek leaves

I picked this recipe because we bought a head of cauliflower and inadvertently left it at the back of the fridge for almost a week. It was still perfect though it needed to be used ASAP. In my opinion, fresh is always best!

We enjoyed the dinner in the company of our friend, Gordon, who was visiting from the Big Apple and our sometime-guest blogger, Jasmine T. I always make sure I include Jasmine for dinner whenever I make Indian as, like me, she loves it.

The dish turned out great. And the leftovers tasted even better the following day. Next time I make this dish I will prepare it a day ahead and just warm it through before serving. Somehow the flavors marry better with some time getting to know one-another.

aloo gobhi matar with dried fenugreek leaves

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
4 small white or Yukon gold potatoes, cut in approx. ½ inch cubes
1 cup garden peas, fresh or frozen
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 ripe Roma tomatoes, run though food processor
1 tbsp ground cumin
1½ tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper or other ground hot chili
1 tsp ground sweet paprika
1 tsp turmeric powder
kosher salt to taste
3 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed into powder
1 tsp tamarind paste or juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp amchur powder
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing

Steam potatoes for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from steamer and set aside. Add one tbsp olive oil to a non-stick pan and cook cauliflower at low heat for about 10-12 minutes. Don’t burn it. Add a few tablespoons of water during the process to prevent sticking. It should have an ‘al dente’ texture. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to the same pan. Bring temperature to high and sauté garlic and ginger for about ½ minute or so. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently until soft and translucent. Don’t brown the onion. Pour tomato purée into pan and continue cooking for a few more minutes just to allow some of the juice to evaporate. Add cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika, turmeric, amchur, salt and stir for a few seconds to form a paste. The consistency will be similar to a ‘roux’.

Gently fold cooked potatoes and cauliflower into tomato spice mixture. Add a cup of water, stir, cover and cook on low temperature, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Towards the last 4 minutes of cooking, add peas and tamarind. Complete cooking then remove from heat and let it stand, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro and you are done! This dish is really tasty.

Obs: I prefer toasting and grinding my own coriander and cumin. It tastes infinitely better.

Here’s a funny video with another take on aloo gobhi:

just for fun: Clarence at rest